Telescoping row marker

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a steel tube that is mounted on and at right angle to a tractor. The aforesaid steel tube is rectangular when viewed from the end and has two steel tubes that are round when viewed from the end mounted in the first mentioned steel tube. The aforesaid two steel tubes are equally spaced and parallel to each other and are suitably secured together by means of a plurality of equally spaced and parallel rectangular plates on the top thereof. A spring-loaded row marker is hingedly secured to each end of the aforesaid two last mentioned steel tubes. The just mentioned two steel tubes are slidably moved in and out of the first mentioned steel tube by means of a steel cable having its ends suitably secured to the aforesaid two steel tubes. The aforesaid steel cable is wrapped around a pulley mounted on the shaft of a reversible hydraulic motor that is secured to the rear end of the tractor. The aforesaid hydraulic motor is activated through the two hydraulic hose that connect the motor to the hydraulic system of the tractor.

[ 1 June 5,1973

54] TELESCOPING ROW MARKER ABSTRACT Inventor: J. 0. Rogers, Jr., Star Route,

Pearce, Ariz. 85625 Sept. 20, 1971 This invention consists of a steel tube that is mounted [22] Filed. on and at right angle to a tractor. The aforesaid steel tube is rectangular when viewed from the end and has two steel tubes that are round when viewed from the end mounted in the first mentioned steel tube. The aforesaid two steel tubes are equally spaced and parallel to each other and are suitably secured together by means of a plurality of equally spaced and parallel rectangular plates on the top thereof. A spring-loaded row marker is hingedly secured to each end of the [21] Appl. No.: 181,708

[52] U.S. Cl........................,............172/13l,172/741 [51] Int. Cl. 17/00 ...1 72/] 26-1 32 [58] Field of Search..............

[56] Referen e Cited aforesaid two last mentioned steel tubes. The just UNITED STATES PATENTS mentioned two steel tubes are slidably moved in and out of the first mentioned steel tube by means of a 172/13] steel cable having its ends suitably secured to the 172 131 x aforesaid two steel tubes. The aforesaid steel cable is ....l72/l27 wrapped around a pulley mounted on the shaft of a 130 reversible hydraulic motor that is secured to the rear Graham et end of the tractor. The aforesaid hydraulic motor is activated through the two hydraulic hose that connect the motor to the hydraulic system of the tractor.

Zimmerman.........................

m" mom 1 y a u THB 74984 79456 88999 11111 l/ll/ 32987 008 31 0 24 .5 .99 94379 81843 1 223 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerR. T. Rader AttorneyCharles W. Coffee 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented June 5, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR J. 0. ROGERS, JR.

Patented June 5, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR J.O. ROGERS. JR.

[ lmlimnumum TELESCOPING ROW MARKER,

This invention relates to farm machinery; more particularly, to that piece of farm machinery known to those experienced in the art as a row marker.

Farmers often desire to mark the rows for crops that are to be planted in fields. When the crops are to be planted in fields that have not been in use for some time it is desirable to mark the rows. The machine used for this purpose is known as a row marker and is usually attached to the rear end of a tractor. Row markers sometimes have outwardly extending members that are raised by means of levers and/or cables, means that are not always satisfactory since the structure takes additional space in whatever building it is kept when not in use no matter how the machine is constructed.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a telescoping row marker that will take up a minimum amount of space when not in actual use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a telescoping row marker that can be adjusted for the widths of the row it is marking by the operator of the tractor without necessarily leaving the cab of the tractor.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a telescoping row marker that can be adapted to fit all tubular tool bars presently used by major farm implement and tractor manufacturers and is also a marker that will not endanger the operator as can happen when the ends of the old style markers are hoisted in the air.

Other and further objects of this invention will no doubt appear. as the reading of this specification and its appended claims proceeds and the accompanying drawings are examined in connection therewith.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of this invention attached to the rear end of a tractor which is shown in phantom lines since it is not an actual part of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of that portion of FIG. 3 as indicated by the horizontally disposed lineand vertically disposed arrow at each end of the line and indicated by the number 4.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of this invention with the marker in a retracted position.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of this invention with the marker down in a marking position.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the cable that controls the lateral movement of this invention.

In the several views of this invention, like parts of the invention are indicated by like reference numbers. The reference number 10 indicates this invention in its entirety.

Directing ones attention first to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings it will be seen that this invention 10 consists of a tool bar or tube 11 that is rectangular when viewed from the ends and in which is slidably located two equally spaced and parallel tubes 12 that are round when viewed from the ends and which are secured together by a plurality of equally spaced and parallel rectangular plates 13 that are welded or otherwise secured to the two aforesaid tubes 12. The two tubes 12 together form a beam. The aforesaid tubes 12 are considerably longer than the first mentioned tube 11. A spring-loaded steel marker 14 is hingedly secured to each end of the aforesaid tubes 12, as one can see by examination of FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings.

A steel cable 15 has each end suitably secured to each end of the aforesaid tubes 12 and encompasses pulleys 16 and 17 which are mounted on top of the first mentioned tube 11 of this invention. FIG. 7 clearly shows the position of the aforesaid cable 15 on this invention which is mounted forward of the tool bar 18 which is secured to the first mentioned tube 11 of this invention by means of a plurality of equally spaced and parallel steel bars that are not indicated by any reference number in the accompanying drawings since the bars are not an actual part of this invention. Plows are on the tool bar. The invention is suitably secured to the hitch of the tractor 19 to which this invention is suitably secured. The tractor moves forward in a direction called the direction of draft. A hydraulic motor 20 of the reversible type is mounted on the rear end of the aforesaid tractor 19 in such a manner that the pulley 21 of the aforesaid hydraulic motor is in position to receive the aforesaid steel cable 15. The hydraulic motor 20 is connected to flexible hydraulic hose 22 and 23 to the hydraulic system of the tractor 19. All of the parts of this invention are to be fabricated from steel.

The way in which this invention of a telescoping row marker is used will be obvious to those experienced in the art when the accompanying drawings are examined in connection with the reading of this specification and its appended claims. However, for the benefit of those not experienced in the art, the following brief description of the actual operation of this invention is hereby given.

After this invention 10 is secured to the aforesaid hitch of the tractor 10, and the aforesaid steel cable 15 is wrapped around the aforesaid pulley 21 of the hydraulic motor 20, and the operator of the tractor is ready to mark a predetermined row in a field, all he has to do is to operate the hydraulic controls on the tractor to cause the hydraulic motor to rotate. If the motor is rotated one way, the cable 15 will pull the two aforesaid tubes 12 and the spring-loaded marker 14 out one end of the tube 11 until the hydraulic motor 20 is stopped. Reversing the motor 20 will cause the tubes 12 to move out the other direction in and from the aforesaid tube 11.

This invention is subject to any and all changes in design and/or modifications one may care to make in so long as the changes and/or modifications all fall within the scope and intent of the appended claims.

What I now claim as new is:

1. On an agricultural implement including:

a. a tractor, adapted to move in a direction of draft,

b. a hollow tube having opposite ends attached to said tractor,

c. said hollow tube positioned transverse to the direction of draft,

d. a plurality of plows operatively connected to the hollow tube,

e. the improved row marker comprising in combination with the above:

f. a beam having first and second ends and being telescoped within the said hollow tube,

g. a marker hinged at each of said end of said beam,

h. a power pulley associated with said tube,

j. means attached thereto for rotating said pulley,

k. a cable having first and second ends 3 4 i. each end attached respectively to said first and tional limitation of second ends of said beam, and i n. each of said markers being spring loaded. ii. said cable being wound on said power pulley, 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein m. so that said beam ends may be extended from ei- 0. said means for rotating said pulley is in the form ther end of said tube with 5 of a reversible hydraulic motor. i. one of said markers depending downward from 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with additional the extended end to assume a position substanlimitations of tially perpendicular to said beam, and p. an additional pulley mounted at each end of said ii. the other of said markers retracted within said tube, and

tube and aligned coaxially with said beam in a q. said cable extending from said power pulley to said horizontal position. additional pulleys. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with an addi- 

1. On an agricultural implement including: a. a tractor, adapted to move in a direction of draft, b. a hollow tube having opposite ends attached to said tractor, c. said hollow tube positioned transverse to the direction of draft, d. a plurality of plows operatively connected to the hollow tube, e. the improved row marker comprising in combination with the above: f. a beam having first and second ends and being tElescoped within the said hollow tube, g. a marker hinged at each of said end of said beam, h. a power pulley associated with said tube, j. means attached thereto for rotating said pulley, k. a cable having first and second ends i. each end attached respectively to said first and second ends of said beam, and ii. said cable being wound on said power pulley, m. so that said beam ends may be extended from either end of said tube with i. one of said markers depending downward from the extended end to assume a position substantially perpendicular to said beam, and ii. the other of said markers retracted within said tube and aligned coaxially with said beam in a horizontal position.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with an additional limitation of n. each of said markers being spring loaded.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein o. said means for rotating said pulley is in the form of a reversible hydraulic motor.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with additional limitations of p. an additional pulley mounted at each end of said tube, and q. said cable extending from said power pulley to said additional pulleys. 